Between Census 2027, Modi government will conduct the counting of train coaches. On May 12, it will be found where and how many coaches are there across the country.

News Topical, Digital Desk : Currently, preparations for the 2027 Census are in full swing across the country. Meanwhile, the Modi government has issued an order to count train coaches. This count will begin next month, in May. The total number of coaches on the North Central Railway is 1,800, but this figure is on paper; the actual count will be updated after further analysis.

Railways to search for missing coaches 

Did you know that many coaches in Indian Railways' vast fleet "disappear" over time? Sometimes during transfers from one zone to another, or sometimes when they become scrap after a technical failure, their records disappear from files. But now, under the Modi government's vision of a "New India," the Railways has resolved to find all those "missing" coaches. After a gap of over a decade, such a comprehensive and digital count of coaches across the country is going to be conducted during the Modi government's tenure.

Transparency and accountability

As part of the Narendra Modi government's commitment to modernizing and ensuring a safe rail infrastructure, the railway administration has now adopted a "zero-tolerance" policy. The government clearly believes that the lack of systematic counting over the past ten years has led to significant flaws in the railway system's functioning. Due to frequent misplacement of coaches, the railway administration lacked accurate records. To end this administrative chaos, the Modi government has ordered that a record of each coach be compiled.

What does the CPRO of NCR say?

According to Shashikant Tripathi, CPRO of North Central Railway (NCR), when a new train is launched, the number of coaches is clear. However, over time, coaches are replaced due to technical problems, maintenance needs, or accidents. This government move will reveal the exact number of missing coaches, enabling efficient use of resources and significant savings in the purchase of new coaches.

May 12th marks a new chapter in rail safety.

As part of this mega-campaign, trains and their coaches were counted simultaneously at stations across the country on May 12th from 10 am to 6 pm. This process was carried out with utmost security and vigilance at all major stations, including Prayagraj Junction. To ensure a smooth operation, the Railways has developed a special protocol. Trains will be stopped for only two to five minutes for the count. Staff will divide the train into two sections and count the coaches. After the count is complete, a painter will mark the coach with a special dye to ensure that the data for that coach has been recorded.

There will be a 'postmortem' of the data on 32 points.

This count isn't just an administrative formality, but a detailed technical audit. As directed by the Modi government, data is being collected on 32 key points related to railway coaches. This includes the coach's date of manufacture, its original railway zone, current scope of work, and its current condition (fit or unfit). Officials will also assess whether worn-out coaches can be repaired or should be declared scrapped. This exercise will provide the railways with clarity on the future need for new coach purchases and the roadmap for refurbishing old coaches.

The confluence of technology and digital data

To ensure the success of this mega-campaign, the Railways has mandated digital data entry. Special training is being provided to staff deployed at almost all stations, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Jabalpur, Chennai, Jhansi, Moradabad, Bareilly, Meerut, Saharanpur, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Ambala, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu. The Railway Administration recently held meetings with senior officials via video conferencing to prepare for this process. Simultaneous mock drills will be conducted across the country over the next few days to ensure no technical glitches or operational disruptions until the key date of May 12th.

Security and the way forward

This campaign clearly reflects the Modi government's commitment to curbing accidents. The entire life cycle of a train, from launch to retirement, will now be part of digital records. Coach counts were previously conducted in 2008 and 2018, but this count under the Modi government is far more technologically advanced. This exercise will not only improve railway resource management but also provide unprecedented reinforcements to safety standards.

Each coach will be accounted for

When every single piece of data, from the bogies parked in yards across the country to the trains running on the tracks, is digitized, the railways will have a solid foundation to improve their efficiency. For the average passenger, this is a solid start to a safer, more modern, and more organized train journey in the future. This campaign makes it clear that the government is not only focused on introducing new trains, but is also rapidly moving forward on the path of making the railways 'self-reliant' by addressing every shortcoming of the existing system. 

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